Design concept of mobile static discharger for human body electrostatic discharge using Van de Graaff’s generator

Abstract

The damage of electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a well-known problem in the semiconductor industry. When human body (operator) is in contact with electrostatic sensitive semiconductor device during manufacturing process, damage to the oxide and other active parts of the device is caused by transferring of charge between device and human body. Semiconductor industry adopts preventive and protective approaches by grounding the human body with a wrist strap connecting to utility ground to neutralize the charge and setting up ESD preventive and protective workstation. Wearing a wrist strap is impractical for the operator and it causes psychological effect as the operator would not like to be strapped. A literature search and visit of many large semiconductor manufacturing facilities have revealed that there is no alternative mean used to neutralize charge from human body besides wearing a wrist strap. This paper presents a conceptual design of a mobile static discharger for human body electrostatic discharge using Van de Graaff’s generator to generate equal amount of positive and negative charge cloud to neutral the charge of the operator. The conceptual design is a fool-proof design and it is viable to be implemented. It is also a design that will revolutionize the technique of electrostatic discharge for human body in the semiconductor industry.